41st Helen Hayes Awards Set For Next Month

Felicia Curry and Mike Millan will host the 41st Helen Hayes Awards at The Anthem on the Wharf on Monday, May 19, 2025. The red carpet awards ceremony celebrates the DC area's vibrant and diverse theatre industry and recognizes the outstanding work of over 200 nominees and theatre-makers.  This year's Helen Hayes Tribute will honor actor, producer, and political activist Robert Hooks. The evening includes a red carpet, cocktail hour, seated dinner, and presentation of Awards with performances from some of the region's favorite artists.

“The arts bring us together; they are a vehicle for shared experience, understanding, and empathy, and the evening recognizes DC theatre's impact on our community. Now, more than ever, we need to celebrate theatre makers, and acknowledge diverse voices and contributions.” said Amy Austin, Theatre Washington President and CEO. 

The event will recognize productions on regional stages from the 2024 calendar year, with nominations made in 42 categories. Nominations are the result of 51 carefully vetted judges considering work, such as design, direction, choreography, performances, writing, and more. Productions under consideration in 2024 included 57 musicals, 108 plays, and 37 world premieres. See the full list of nominees. 

The 2025 Helen Hayes Tribute will be awarded to Robert Hooks for his distinguished career as an actor, producer and political activist who significantly increased the visibility and represntation of Black voices in the arts and was a prominent figure in the Black Arts Movement that arose during the Civil Rights Era. He founded three Black theatre companies: New York's Group Theatre Workshop, the Negro Ensemble Company, and the DC Black Repertory Company, and worked as an actor on Broadway, in film and on tv becoming the first black male lead of a network drama, David Susskind's N.Y.P.D. Among his numerous awards and accolades are an NAACP Image Award for Lifetime Achievement, and induction into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame. 

“Robert Hooks is the touchstone for Black Theatre in DC. With the DC Black Repertory Theatre, he created the beginnings of a black community of theatre artists, musicians, designers and educators and opened its doors  to all races. Bobby's dream has taken root and lives on in our vibrant and diverse theatre community.” Bonnie Nelson Schwartz, Founder and Producer of the Helen Hayes Awards.